mobile phones

[Scottish Mouse]

I need your help again please.....

Has anyone ever hired a mobile phone at the airport. How easy is it and how much does it cost?

Thanks in advance......

 

[Hilary]

Bumping up......
Can anyone help with this query?

 

[Highland Lass]

I am going to WDW in December and have been looking into buying/hiring a mobile phone.

I discovered that you can hire them there but I think I'll buy a "tracfone " in Walmart for $49 when we arrive and just top-up the airtime if needed. I think it a basic pay-as-you-go .We are taking a triband O2 Nokia with us but need another for the others in our party.

I think $49 is OK , it may cost more to hire for the 2 weeks we need one . I asked in Carphone Warehouse who do hire phones for £1 a day in the USA but they want a £400 deposit !!!!! Don't think so........


Anyone else got a better suggestion ?

 

[Sweeney Todd]

Highland Lass,

Had a butchers at those Tracfones. $49.43 is certainly a good price.

However, it appears that the downside may be that you need to top up every 60 days with an airtime card. Which begs the question - when you come back to the UK and return again to Orlando a year or more later can you re-activate the phone and get a new number or is it gone forever?

If you buy the cheapest airtime card (30 units) at $16.92 then each unit is equivalent to 1 min (local) or 30 secs (roaming). So with this card the most you can expect is 30 mins airtime - that works out about 34p or so per minute.


My questions to the more knowledgeable of you out there are:

(1) If I used a Tracfone to call my brother (on hol with us) who has a UK contract phone do I pay local rate because he and his phone are close by or do I pay roaming charges because his phone is contracted to a UK provider???

(2) When using one of those tracfone cards what do text messages equate to in airtime units???


Please put a thick northern technophobe out of his misery!!


Thanx,

Sweeney

 

[poohstix]

I Too have looked into tracfone and may also be buying one when we go over.

As to your questions Sweeney Todd


If you we to call you brother the call is sent to the UK (This is the part of the call you pay for) and then it is sent to your brother in the US even if he is standing next to you (And he will pay for receiving it) This is around 75p to £1 depending on his network.

So this will be almost as expensive as you both using UK contract phones.

The only way Tracfones are any cheaper is if you both have them or to call US landlines.

Question 2
Sorry do not know the answer to that one.

If you do not keep your tracfone activated you WILL loose the number. All you need to do is next time in the US is phone tracfone and they will give you a new number and airtime.

Hope this helps.

 

[Scottish Mouse]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll look into the trac phone option.

L